Diplomat
or Envoy (novel)|rd=Emissary''' and envoy}} A '''diplomat, sometimes known as an emissary or envoy was a person who specialized, or in the least performed, duties facilitating peaceful relations between different factions, often by serving as a negotiator or a neutral mediator of disputes. A diplomat who was a citizen of one power may be hired or appointed to professionally serve the interests of another power. ( ) Federation, and before that United Earth, Starfleet starship commanders were sometimes called upon to serve as diplomats, whether by specific assignment or by emergent necessity. ( ; ) First contact and the official establishment of relations with an alien race was an important diplomatic responsibility entrusted to starship commanders. ( ; ) When James T. Kirk was kidnapped on in in 2269, the efforts of the crew to recover him were frustrated by the Federation Bureau of Planetary Treaties and Starfleet, who each insisted that the issue fell under the other's jurisdiction. First officer Spock observed, "Diplomats and bureaucrats may function differently, but they achieve exactly the same results." ( ) While in command of the following the arrest of James T. Kirk and Leonard McCoy on suspicion of assassinating Klingon Chancellor Gorkon, Spock ordered the crew to "piece together what happened here tonight." When Pavel Chekov asked what would happen if the crew could not properly reconstruct those events, Spock replied, "Then Mr. Chekov, it resides in the hands of the diplomats." Ironically, it was Spock's own diplomatic efforts that led to the meeting of Kirk and Gorkon in the first place. ( ) Feeling responsible for Kirk and McCoy's arrest and show trial at the hands of the Khitomer conspiracy, Spock sought to avoid prematurely vouching for Federation approval when he began to secretly work toward Vulcan reunification with the Romulans. However, by acting without official sanction, Jean-Luc Picard accused Spock of engaging in "cowboy diplomacy." ( ) Inspector Lestrade had once brought a case to Sherlock Holmes, where he introduced a gentleman, whom he described as "the emissary of a foreign government", that had been victim of a crime. Data, who was portraying Holmes (and thus knew all of Holmes cases) quickly verified that the man was not who he claim to be, but was in fact, that the "emissary works not for, but against the King of Bohemia." ( ) During the Kriosian rebellion of 2367, the transported Ambassador , an emissary from the Klingon High Council to the Kriosian system, was sent to examine the evidence by the colony's Klingon governor Vagh that the rebels were aided by the Federation. Later, in an unrelated investigation aboard the Enterprise that led to the Ambassador and the Governor, Data requested that they be searched for possibly concealing E-band transmitter, however, Kell objected, "I am a Klingon! An emissary of the High Council. I will not be searched by anyone on this ship!" ( ) The following year, the empathic metamorph Kamala participated in an arranged marriage with the Valtese Chancellor Alrik, was so chosen by the Kriosians to serve her people as an emissary of peace. ( ) During the 's mission to locate the Founders in 2370, the Ferengi Grand Nagus Zek appointed Quark as an emissary on his behalf. Quark was chosen because he had previously established a trade agreement with the Karemma, and during the mission, he was given the authorization to increase Ferengi purchases of tulaberry wine from the Karemma by 3 percent. When told by Hanok, that that was a negligible increase, Quark assured him that in this case, he had "considerable leeway to bargain." ( ) The Dominion genetically engineered the Vorta to serve as their diplomats, scientists, and military commanders. After drinking a glass of Kanar containing voraxna poison, Weyoun remarked that his Vorta resistance to poison, "comes in handy when you're a diplomat." ( ) Notable diplomats and diplomatic aides * Badar N'D'D * Richard Bashir * Lathal Bine * Jarth * Karina * Keeve Falor * Falow * Maques * Ki Mendrossen * Devinoni Ral * Ruwon * Sakkath * Ssestar * Lwaxana Troi * Kalin Trose * Sarek * Spock * Odan * Riva * Ves Alkar * Nanclus * Korrd * St. John Talbot * Caithlin Dar * Neelix * Nancy Hedford * Robert Fox Diplomatic ranks * Ambassador * Ambassador-at-Large * Assistant consul * Special emissary * Special envoy See also * Bureaucrat * Diplomatic corps * Emissary of the Prophets External link * de:Diplomat it:Diplomatico nl:Diplomaat pl:Dyplomata Category:Legal occupations